


all the saints are having a ball

by Kizuka_Nakahara



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: During Canon, F/M, First Kiss, Gavin Reed Backstory, Gavin in Jericho, In time of Pacifist Revolution, Mutual Pining, Time Travel themes, connor is confused
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 03:18:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17216015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kizuka_Nakahara/pseuds/Kizuka_Nakahara
Summary: In the eve on oncoming revolution, Gavin is looking for the woman he cherished.Suddenly he finds her and himself in the eye of the storm.How could he end like that?





	all the saints are having a ball

**Author's Note:**

> I'm happy for anyone who would find a moment to take a look at it. This is my last work this year!

_♫The world turns with me only now_   
_The stars burn like steel_   
_You've erased me from your memory_   
_Till I even pity myself♫_

 

The air smelled of smoke and made Gavin cough. Another night, another lonely shift in his doomed, full of shit life. That seemed to be the standard, everything messed up. His mind, his heart and, of course, his desk.

He knew he needed to clean that, but yet something kept stopping him from doing so. Reports, photographs, files and those damn missing posters scattered around, stained with coffee and wrinkled. Plastic cups and empty gum packets and who knows what else.

For some stranger, it would just mean that Detective Reed couldn't keep his workplace in order, but anyone in the precinct was able to quickly resolve all the doubts. The whole entropy had its reasons. The main one was the disappearance of Gavin's last partner, Detective Betty Miller.

In November it could be already something like three months from the last day Reed saw his coworker. And since then he had been looking for her. Weirdly, everything gave the impression like that investigation lasted years and was a cold case.

It must have appeared odd for Connor. Why so fresh event was already taken as the impossible to solve? Despite the very demanding AI in his mind, he couldn't deny himself some time to ask Detective Reed about it.

As you can probably guess, Gavin wasn't too talkative about that. To be more precise, I need to say he was closer to toss every single paper from his desk at Connor to shut the android up.

Unfortunately, it didn't work at all. If not at that time, Connor showed up later, as long as he wasn't too busy with the deviancy case.

Gavin said the worst things he could imagine to scare away the stubborn android, but he gave up eventually.

"So, what do you need to know, smartass?"

"Is it true that your partner disappeared just three months ago?"

Gavin sighed and put his legs on the desk. "Yeah. Why 'just'?"

"It should count as a fresh case, but yet I'm not seeing it anywhere in the precinct's system." Connor pointed out, flipping his beloved coin.

Gavin reached for a coffee and stopped in half, realising that he didn't have any left.

"It's because there's no case, tin can."

"How is that possible?" he asked, quickly grabbing the coin mid-air.

The detective closed his eyes and for a moment pretended that Connor wasn't there. It just felt so... embarrassing.

"A few days after her disappearance, her files have been removed. Just like a snap of fingers and suddenly she was out of it. No one knew shit about Betty Miller. I'm chasing a ghost, end of story. Now let me sulk in solitude."

Connor, as he was told to, left. And then he came back, holding a cup of coffee.

"Da hell?"

"If there's no trace of your partner in systems, then how did you possessed the photograph of her?"

He placed the cup and pointed at the photograph.

Gavin glances at it. The image is a bit blurred. She's standing in the light of cheap neons, they're making her eyes shine like some marbles. There were drops of rain running down her chocolate skin and she's smiling so brightly. He swore he's able to hear her dumb laugh.

"Detective Reed?"

"Piss off. I mean, what was the question?" He rolled his eyes and pretended that nothing happened. "That one? I made it myself, don't remember why and when. That one and the one some journalist made. Nothing more."

Connor's LED blinked yellow as he tried to scan the face from the photograph. After that, he finally decided to leave Gavin alone.

Not that he wasn't interested anymore. Duty called.

The next time when the curiosity struck Connor, Gavin was absent. The RK800 was looking high and low on the internet for any relevant information about the missing woman.

Instead of waiting for the result and/or Gavin, he decided to talk to Officer Chen, who just pulled out her lunchbox and sat on the counter in the breakroom.

"May I ask you a question, Officer Chen?"

"Call me Tina, that's first. Second, sat down. Third, go on."

He knew that those were more suggestions than clear orders, but he obeyed them anyway. The woman took a bite of her sandwich and waited.

"Do you know anything about Detective Reed's relationship with a woman called Betty Miller?"

She laughed a bit, confusing Connor.

"He's an old idiot who fell in love with her and everyone knew."

"Oh?" It was hard to notice if his sigh was sarcastic or not.

"You wouldn't imagine! But then... hell, it's not even her disappearance. She simply proved that her files in the system were faked, telling us that we're idiots and that we let her work among us."

Connor crossed his arms and was observing as Tina made a few weird gestures.

"I still can't believe it. She was so good for him."

"So she possessed a strong personality?" he suggested, leaning his back on the counter.

"What? I mean, yeah, but it was something more. She was so... snarky and quirky, and sarcasm addict. It was like Gavin changed gender and race."

"Wasn't it a worse environment for the others back then?"

Tina ended her sandwich and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Nope. She was like that for Gavin, they could work together and all. When she was with the rest, she could be nice." Officer Chen took a sip from her cup. "She would like you."

Connor corrected his tie and smiled lightly. He thanked Tina for her help and went to get busy.

She ended her break and wandered around, waiting patiently for Reed, who still didn't show up. It seemed a bit odd, because most of the times he kept being obviously late, but not so much as he was at the time.

When he eventually arrived, Tina couldn't deny the thought that he looked somehow different. When he came closer, she saw more. Fire in his eyes, dirty hands and that promising smile.

"What the hell?"

"I have something new!" He took off his jacket and tossed it on his desk. "It's horrendously stupid, but I think she left me secret messages."

"Like Cicada 3301?"

He snorted. "No, like literal stuff that's written on a wall. For now, these are our quotes, but who knows where it'll lead me."

"To hell," she answered automatically. "That Connor again asked about you."

Gavin sat down and started transferring files from his phone to the pc.

"No word?"

"You probably already told him more than I wanted you to say."

Tina crossed her arms and waited a bit. As she thought, Reed wanted her to see those. Several photographs of three messages on walls in less often visited alleys.

She doubted that they were relevant at all, but she didn't dare to say that out loud. As long as she sometimes wanted to kick Gavin's ass, she never wanted to break his heart more than it already was.

So she listened to him, as he told her about their last meeting, the day Betty left him. After a quarter or so he was still talking and Tina couldn't say that they should go, or that he's not describing the details of 'investigation', but speaking straight from his heart.

And it still sounded like a confession of an immature teen.

When he stopped, he stopped talking at all. Since Tina couldn't force him to answer her questions, she left.

It also kept happening. Gavin found at least ten other things written on the walls. He realised that it would take him so long to find more. Who knows how many Betty did, going here and there, possibly making fun of him.

After another evening where he, a tabby cat called Monroe and a few bottles of beer spent time together over those messages, he started seeing a pattern.

"Look at this shit, Monroe." Gavin pointed at the scattered photographs and took another large sip of his beer. "Those seem older than that one. I think she's going back in time with it. The oldest one is something I said a few days before her escape. And this looks quite fresh and it's connected to one of our older cases."

Monroe meowed and walked on the backrest of the couch. Then he stepped on Gavin's shoulder. The detective patted his own lap, encouraging the cat to jump down. Monroe licked Reed's face and took the advice. A moment after, he was purring and kneading Gavin's lap.

"Right. Time to rest." The detective carefully changed position and laid down on the couch with Monroe still on his lap. "Goodnight, stinky bastard."

The cat, surprisingly, didn't answer.

In the morning, Monroe woke up Gavin. If you have starveling like this one in your house, you probably don't need any alarms at all.

While opening a small packet of meat for the cat, Reed tried to recall the previous evening's revelation. The pattern theory was weird, but he could give it a shot.

"Hmmm, if she's going back, maybe she also left a message in the place of our first meeting?"

Monroe was eating loudly, so he didn't answer.

"Where was it?" He scratched the back of his head and hummed. "Oh, yeah. Ferndale."

Gavin took his time to crouch and pet the cat, but just after this he got ready, ignored calls from Tina and left.

He showed up on the precinct only for pretence and planned to leave asap. Unfortunately, some deviant hunter decided to ruin that plan a tiny bit.

"Detective Reed! I might have found something!"

"The hell you want again, tin can? I told you everything and I'm hella busy.

Connor handed him the photograph. "I searched the databases and found this. It truly confuses me, but face recognition connected this photo with that one you had, Detective."

Gavin finally took it and looked suspiciously. It was taken on some unfamiliar cliffs. Three people facing the photographer - grumpy man with a pouty face, smiling middle-aged woman holding his hand and... Betty, standing aside and showing her branded smug grin.

"What? Where did you find that?" He coughed and looked again. "Why is it confusing?"

"The picture was taken on the cliffs in Britain and posted online in the 2010s. The description said that it's Detective Miller, Detective Hardy and their friend, Betty Quinty. I searched deeper and found both detectives, leaving us with the fact that this woman is called Betty."

"But... that makes no sense. I was a kid back then, and she looks just the same."

"That's why it is confusing. This is for you and I need to go. Also, I wanted to say goodbye. I'm leaving."

"Where?" Gavin asked suddenly.

"My mission has ended. I just... have some evidence I need to register in the archive room."

"Then get a move on! I mean, thanks for this. Now go!"

He hid the photo in his pocket and cursed. This was indeed confusing. And Gavin wasn't happy that Connor was right.

In the train, he found himself recalling that one specific day with Betty. Their first day. It was quite warm, he had some dumb anonymous call to check. Someone told police that one of the shops was being robbed, while the caller robbed the shop on the other, but still a quite close street.

Since the workers that could survive a shift with him went on vacations, he went there alone. On the place, he met a woman looking for some specific shop. When he showed her the correct direction, he spotted a robber and went after him.

When Gavin got that guy, he realised that he didn't have handcuffs with himself. And that woman from earlier borrowed him hers.

"By the way, I'm Betty. I'm your new partner."

And she just grinned so smugly. Gavin couldn't take eyes off of her, not only because of her looks but also by her confidence. Somehow, she never ceased to surprise him.

Betty this, Betty that and Gavin nearly missed his stop because of his drifted off thoughts.

The area nearly didn't change, he still could see a very few places where graffiti was absent. It took him a moment, but he recalled where that shop was.

In the morning mist, he spotted two silhouettes standing there and one of them was writing on the wall. He run in that direction, but as soon as he got closer, they heard him and started running too.

"What? Stop!" In the rush, Gavin couldn't be sure of anything, but he was convinced that neither of them was Betty. Also, he saw a glimpse of red light on their heads.

Were they deviants? The only way to prove that was to go after them. Hell, he thought he would avoid any encounter with deviants, but life had somehow different opinion on that.

They run through empty buildings, soon Gavin had to guess where did they go by noises of their steps. It wasn't that easy to just go and make some damn parkour.

He wasn't sure if he would find his way back.

And then, someone hit him in the head.

It was just a matter of seconds and Gavin found himself held by someone above ground, somewhere in the abandoned building. Why was he so dumb to go there? What made him want to pull that stunt? He thinks he's way too masculine to just cry and yell for help. It was obvious no one would hear him, so he just looked around for any face. He gawked at the android who was gripping his arms tightly. The guy wasn't even looking at Gavin, so detective looked in the same direction as his kidnapper.

"Well, well. Who just showed up in here?" He felt weird when he recognized the android that was talking to him. Well, maybe it wasn't so weird. He was once in that doomed Eden Club, so he can now recognize a Traci when he saw one. "Let me see..."

He was enough busy trying to get rid of android holding his arms and the one that gripped his legs. She took his badge from his pocket. 

"Detective, huh? Unfortunately for you, off-duty. Why did you run after those androids?"

She watched as he swore, probably noticing how his blood pressure had risen sharply and didn't want to drop.

"I don't have any business in making this conflict an open war, if that's what you tryin' to say, dipshit. They were leaving a message on the wall."

"Which wasn't for you, idiot."

The Traci rolled her eyes. Some shy voices in the background argued with her opinion.

He caught her name as some android tried to calm her down.

"How do you know that North?" he blurted.

"I don't have to know. You are one of them and I don't need you to live."

Sharp breath. Think, think! Gavin blinked, knowing that he already was helpless.

"What about that main guy, huh? Your saviour with heterochromia! I thought he wouldn't like that."

He couldn't help but smile when her mischievous grin faltered.

North just shook her hand and the androids shook Gavin like a kinder surprise. His phone, gun and a few other things fell on the ground with a loud clunk. She took it all and shoved in her pockets.

"Don't have time to deal with this shit. Take him. We don't need that douche to tell the cops about our place."

No one questioned her words. They were probably too terrified.

When they finally were close to Jericho, someone tossed a cloth on Gavin's face, which seemed ridiculous and needless for him, since he got lost after the second turn. He couldn't see the ship they were entering and the groups of deviants lurking at him, but he heard their voices. Voices of scared little shits who were far from their homes, well, if they ever had homes. He knew that it was too late to yell, so he kept quiet and listened carefully to everything.

"Why did you even run after them, huh? Because they were making graffiti? Really?"

"No. It was a message. Someone was leaving me messages all over the city and I knew this was one of them. I couldn't get why the 'droids were doing it, I wanted to ask."

North looked at him like he was the dumbest living being in the universe. Was she far from the truth?

When they placed him on a chair and tied him tightly, he found himself wondering if it was a good idea. His partner could have told that androids to write so weeks ago, there was no reason to believe Betty was still around. And then, why would she tell the androids to write "I hope I'll see you around soon, you uncaught pokemon". It simply didn't make sense. He thought what would that North do with him. It seemed unlikely for her to let him go easily. He just hoped he wouldn't die.

He was left in a room, they even gagged him with the same cloth they tossed at him. It was freezing and everything around was rusty. The doors weren't closed completely, he could hear the steps on the corridor. He felt so doomed and helpless. If he could just take a look at that photo goofy dipshit had given him at the archive room doors. But he couldn't. It was quite quiet there. Well, at least for some time.

"Oh! Look who finally came back! The deviants you were supposed to bring here arrived hours ago, what took you so long?"

Gavin was surprised by North's sudden reaction. He focused on the noises and his heart skipped a beat when he heard a familiar voice. That damn, sweet voice.

"Sorry, North. Calm your processors, I just wanted to meet my friend, okay?"

"And how the visit went?" North asked kinda sarcastically.

"Shitty. Couldn't contact him, so I waited at his home for nearly two hours. Fed the cat, cleaned windows and watched some crappy movie. He's not answering his phone. I guess it's too late."

North, probably leaning on the wall of Gavin's 'cell' knocked on the rusty metal and sighed dramatically. "Oh, you poor thing. Maybe you'll call him now?"

"Why? I thought you were against it at all. You know, risks and stuff?"

"Yeah, I know. But you are a chubby meat bag. Maybe that guy deserves a middle finger before he'll hear that you die?"

"I'm going to try to stay alive, but thanks." She hummed and probably took her phone to call.

_♫ I wanna love you but I better not touch (don't touch)_   
_I wanna hold you, but my senses tell me to stop_   
_I wanna kiss you but I want it too much (too much)_   
_I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison ♫_

They phone in North's hand wasn't ringing too loudly, but obviously, enough for Betty to hear it. Gavin couldn't see as she took the device, grabbed North's clothes and shook the Traci android.

"What the hell did you do?"

"I can swear that I didn't touch him." North, which seemed unbelievable, didn't care about the woman that kept holding her shirt.

"Where is he?"

North laughed and pointed at the door.

The other woman had problems with opening them, so she kicked the door and then she swore loudly.

"What?" North snarled. "I just broke my heel." She panted. "Take it, broke the other one too. I need them to match."

Gavin raised his head and looked at Betty. Besides walking without her boots, she looked just like it was that moment from three months back, the day she had disappeared.

Well, this seemed glaringly obvious that North would break off the heel easily. The act of giving boots back wasn't so quick, so in the end, Betty took North's crappy trainers and the Traci took the independent heelless boots. Eventually, Betty jumped to the room and, swearing badly about everything, she started to untie Gavin.

Gavin tried to say something, but Betty quickly shushed him with her finger and led him to the other room. I said room, but to be honest, it definitely wasn't a room anymore, not without one wall and the ceiling.

Betty closed the door and turned to Gavin.

Awkward silence, since none of them wanted to speak first. Reed felt angry but also helplessly lost. She disappeared on purpose, she cleaned the traces, making it impossible to look for her, but then she left some hilarious messages and made him go there. That didn't make sense at all. He also wondered how long she was planning on this side changing. She was a detective and now she was helping deviants. Confusing as hell.

"You left me," Gavin said finally, crossing his arms. "You made me better, you made people think about me better, and one day, you left. Like you never were part of my life at all."

Betty was hugging herself. She looked like she was about to cry, but she didn't let any tear fall.

"I'm gonna say that - you hurt me. As hell. And you even cleared every trace, making me look ridiculous." He coughed. "Do you have any word to defend yourself?"

She shook her head without hesitation. Gavin felt annoyed by her lack of any response. It's not like he hoped for some romcom reunion, he kinda hoped for her even getting angry at him for interrupting her plans. Anything in general, he wanted to hear her voice once again. So instead of waiting for her rage, he let himself get mad. The thing he didn't calculate was that he was more likely to fight than to yell.

He just punched her in the face.

He froze. Not that he was terrified of himself or something, he fought with Betty a few times, in the gym. She usually pretended to ignore him, but finally blocking his attack or jumping off.

She eventually caught his arm and brought his palm to her lips. Gavin internally freaked out, wondering what the hell she was doing, but he felt it and understood.

"We're even now," she whispered, as he looked at her bloody tooth. "Don't even try to apologise, I deserved it."

He murmured a string of swear words, finally taking his hand and glancing again at the tooth. Gavin unintentionally licked his own teeth, quickly finding the place where he himself had a missing tooth.

Betty was still in the same place, she didn't even grimace.

"So you left because of them, huh? Was too scared to tell me? I would tell everyone that you help deviants?"

"It's... too complex."

"Go on, then." He smiled sourly. "We have time unless you have a revolution to lead."

"I... I'm not leading it." She leaned on the wall and sighed. "I didn't want you to go after me."

"Yeah, I got that when you deleted yourself from the system." 

She closed her eyes and run a hand through her dark hair. "I freaked out, okay? I was... I felt weird, found out something I couldn't describe. So I run away."

"What kind of- or you know, forget, you probably still don't get them, you little shit." He smiled. "You were so scared, huh? What about now?"

"They still scare me. More than the risk of me taking part in this revolution."

He came closer and grabbed her hands. Oh, he never realized how much he missed every little bit about her. Her tanned skin, messy hair, that scent of resin.

When they were so close they could feel each other's breaths, Betty flinched.

"Are you scared of me, Betty?"

Gavin didn't know what to do. His partner, his friend, she was always at his side, fighting and solving. They got drunk together and at the moment it looked like it all was nothing.

"N-no. I am not."

"Then what's wrong? You're acting weird." She shook her head. "I think I needed to see you again..."

"No, don't."

"Don't what?"

"Just don't," she panted and pushed Gavin away from her.

"Betty." She looked at him. "Is this about the stuff I feel about you?"

He didn't tell her yet, but he felt like she would get to know easily. He's a disaster when it comes to keeping things hidden.

Betty coughed. "Well, it's not. It's about the stuff I'm feeling." She came closer. "I am scared of what I feel. I didn't... I didn't expect that, any of that. I don't control it."

"Well, Nobel prize for the one who would control his feelings." Gavin grabbed her hand. "Admitting it was harder than standing against humanity?"

"Yeah. It's the first time I'm having a crush. Oopsie." She finally calmed down.

"Okay, and... Wait, did you just say that it's not your first time standing against humanity?"

"It's not as hard as it sounds."

"Really?"

"It's not hard when you aren't part of it."

"Betty, what the hell."

She snorted.

"Well, I wanted to keep it as a secret, but it's totally too late."

"So what's with it. Don't tell me you are the rebel type, cause I know it and it doesn't make you attend to every protestation that comes up." She was surer this time.

In a matter of seconds, she closed the distance between them and whispered right to his ear. "I'm no human, Gav."

"Not an android too, if it's what you want to ask," she giggled and jumped like a kiddo.

"So what, smartass?" Gavin raised his brows and looked at her suspiciously.

"That's totally super duper ultra mega deluxe secret, okay?" She held his hands. "I would pull out a stunt and tell you that loving me is like loving stars themselves, but you probably won't get that reference..."

"Betty..." 

She giggled once again. "Okay, okay, you got me. I am an alien. And no one will ever believe you, ha!"

"Wait what."

"Yeah, I'm saying this for real."

"Shut up, dipshit. I meant that part with the reference. It's from Doctor Who. You are not The Doctor, right? Tell me you are not, please."

"No, no. Don't expect him to be real, but the species is," she snorted and smiled.

"So the first woman I fell in love with while she's having a crush on me, is a damn Time Lady?"

"Yeah." She couldn't stop her laughter.

"Detroit, 2038, the dawn of the android revolution, me and hella hot Time Lady. What the hell are we doing here?"

"You weren't in the plan. I had to find myself a place where I could live and have a proper look at deviancy problems. DPD was good." A quick shrug and an apologetic smile.

"After one case you said that you can see something bigger coming, huh?” 

Betty sighed helplessly.

"So it's just a miracle that we met each other?"

"There has to be that moment in life, Gavin." She looked at the doors and then on Reed's phone. "It's getting late. What are you gonna do?"

Well, Gavin could point out many things. That he just met an alien lady, that's he's amazed and/or having butterflies in his stomach. That there's a bunch of deviants around or something.

But this was Gavin who just admitted that he loves Betty. And he decided that he deserves something for that. She was still close, so it was no problem to catch her in an embrace and kiss her.

Betty was fidgeting at first, but then she finally let Gavin do the show. Their kiss lasted long, Reed had to break it to catch a breath.

Betty was gripping on his jacket lightly like she was about to fall. "Damn it. That was... wow."

"What. Was that your first kiss or what?"

"Uhm. How old are you, Gav?"

"36," he answered, confused.

"So, I'm more than eleven times older, but hell, it was my first."

He snorted. 

"Anyway, by "what's now?" I meant you, not the thing between us. I can drive you home... "

" Yeah, so I can watch you from tv and pretend I'm not an idiot, huh? I'm staying. Big stuff gonna happen and you don't have to give me any spoilers."

"Are you sure?" Betty gave him a knowing look.

"More than ever, Betty. Come on, we've got a revolution to won."

~~~~

In an hour, Gavin got to know that part of gathered in Jericho deviants were brought there by Betty. She also created a small 'hospital' outside the ship, where they had hidden the more broken androids. He had a word with North and then he even met Markus. They were talking together about deviancy.

"So it's totally okay for you know that you can make people listen to you because you touched them, huh?"

"No, I am giving them a chance. If they want to help me, they go with me. It's like you and Betty. You said that you were the one that chose to stay."

Gavin mumbled something under his breath and leaned on the old console of the ship. He knew that robo-Messiah had a point, but he didn't want to admit it.

The feeling of being equipped once again, being kinda ready for stuff soothed him. And it was the right time to feel safe.

"It's damn wizardry," Gavin ended, rolling his eyes.

Then, they heard something. Markus looked around and then at Gavin. Most of the deviants understood the unspoken rule of knocking if you want to see Markus.

Reed placed his hand on his gun, waiting in silence. Luckily, robo-Messiah didn't care about that and said nothing.

"I've been ordered to take you alive but I won't hesitate to shoot if you gave me no choice."

Gavin blinked twice and glanced at Connor. The RK800 was holding a gun and wore some shitty clothes he probably stole from Hank or some homeless people.

Gavin knew that Markus was about to answer, but his own reaction (which was really unexpected) was faster.

"Well, well, well, who has decided to come to us?"

"Detective Reed, may I ask you what are you doing here?"

"No, you may not, dipshit. What are even doing here with that gun? Aren't you off this case already?"

Markus was about to speak something but got interrupted again.

"Detective Reed, I was made to solve the deviancy problem and I don't have to listen to DPD's orders anymore. I ask you to leave this place."

"Oh yeah, because I am someone who would listen to you. Come on, don't you have any better things to do?"

"I have to accomplish my mission, Detective. I do not have any other 'things to do', as you put it in words."

"Look, you helped me with looking for Betty, like, for real. Why won't you help yourself and put that damn gun down before you do something you will regret?"

Connor came closer, his grip loosened for just one moment.

"Your partner you told me about? You found her?"

"Yeah. Come on, she can't wait to meet you, idiot." Gavin made up this, but he felt that he wasn't far from the truth.

"I can't, Detective." Connor moved sight from Gavin to Markus. "I do not have another choice."

"You can't betray your own people, Connor," Markus finally spoke. "You can't let them treat you like a tool."

Gavin raised his brows but shut up quickly. He let Markus do the talking.

"You are more than that, Connor. We all are and you know that."

The RK800 said nothing, barely moving at all. This time it seemed like he wasn't listening.

Gavin took a step closer to them. "Ever heard of Martin Luther King? You know what was his 'mission'?" Connor didn't answer. "He was assassinated because some guys thought that blacks are animals, not true people. And here we are, nothing but the hated group changed."

"A riot is the language of the unheard," Markus quoted King, not knowing what else should he add to Gavin's words.

"You think you are so wonderful, being their toy, making their wishes come true." Gavin crossed his arms and sighed.

"Have you never wondered if you are something else? Whether you are a perfect machine or a living being?" Gavin came closer while Markus was talking. "It's time for you to answer that question."

"You can be one of them, you dipshit." Reed was at Connor's side, hand on the gun that was slightly shaking in android's hands.

Markus was doubting, deeply in his soul. Gavin could just make Connor angrier and...

And it was bullshit. In a moment, Connor put his hands down, the gun remained in Gavin's hand and then fell down.

"They are gonna attack Jericho," Connor whispered, probably still overwhelmed by the things that happened.

"Da hell?" Gavin looked at Markus, who nodded slightly.

"I already knew about it, Betty warned me they would do that. We evacuated most of our people already, some of them stayed for a bluff. We need to tell them it's time."

You would believe that Gavin listened to Markus and left the ship as soon as possible? You can give yourself a gold star if you said 'no'. Reed put his hood on and run through the rusty corridors.

On his way, he met Betty.

"The hell is happening? Markus converted that goofy hunter already?" she shouted and jumped over some trash.

"I helped, so it went fast! What's now?"

"Someone should go down and blow up the ship. And I'm not letting you go there. Come on, we need to take Lucy and a few others from here, quick!"

Betty, since she always wanted to show off, made a cartwheel. Gavin thought he's not enough paid for this shit and went on normally.

In the main hall, Lucy was standing in the corner. The android didn't want to make others aware of her presence. She knew that with her head's state it wasn't too save to just jump in the water.

When Gavin and Betty showed up, she recalled that fact sadly.

"Oh, you thought I didn't know? I'll think of something, hm..."

"No, I know your mind can process more than we imagine, but don't bother yourself." Lucy was stubborn.

"Wear a damn bathing cap, dipshit," Gavin murmured, annoyed.

Lucy raised her eyebrows with a question, but Betty started searching through pockets of her trench coat and finally... found that cap. A hella pink one, to be precise.

"I don't have any control of my pockets' content," she explained, putting that funny cap on Lucy's head.

"I tend to think that you are used to losing control daily," Lucy smiled softly, "but it's not wrong."

"Shut up."

And then they sorta run away and jumped to the water, while Connor and Markus were doing stuff. Well, even Betty didn't check up what they were doing, but they managed to escape. Soon after that all the deviants, Betty and Gavin gathered in the old church.

Gavin and Betty sat on the side, wanting to be alone. They shared a pack of mint gums and some not-so-fresh sandwich. While Markus was wandering around and talking to everyone, they chatted a bit about everything in general.

"I saw your posters. It's the first time I saw a poster with my face that said 'missing' instead of 'wanted'. Kinda cute, but you would use a better photo."

"If I had it, I would use it. I have only two, well, three photos. I took one, the journalist from Detroit Today took the second..."

"And the third one?" Betty asked, rolling her eyes.

"I can show you it, that goofy guy with beanie, Connor, gave me that like a few hours ago. Feels like years now."

"Nah, let's do that later. Now I think something's gonna happen." She pointed at Markus, who was heading on the scene to talk. "Not that I'm totally interested in his word, you know."

"You aren't? Thought that you, as a tourist..."

She kicked him. "Don't call me like that, okay? I'm more of a rebel now. Wanted to set the world on fire."

"You know, that's pretty North of you," Gavin smirked and winked at her.

"You and your jokes are terrible. I'm keeping this one."

Gavin kept his mouth shut for a moment. "I think they are up to something," he murmured after some time. "What do you think?"

Betty yawned hard. "Markus fights peacefully, I guess they will make another demonstration. But not today. We've got some time. How about a nap, huh?"

"You are gonna sleep in a damn ruined church?" he asked.

"No, I've got my car. It's not that far. I know there's plenty of better places, but you know. Better this than nothing." She stood up and moaned painfully. "Damn it. Ouch. Shit. Okay, I'll live. I'm gonna tell North where are we going, okay?"

She didn't wait for Gavin's response, she just walked away.

Gavin looked around and spotted that Connor somehow had disappeared, which was kinda unexpected yet fortunate. The detective was far too tired to deal with that android.

Betty came back after ten minutes, whistling some crappy song and making her way out of the church. Gavin followed her. They passed by a few other buildings and found Betty's car.

The vehicle didn't change a bit. It still looked like shit. And just like that car from Back to the future. It beeped when Betty unlocked it with a pilot.

"So what? It's a TARDIS?"

"Not quite, but something close. It's not that impressive if it comes to sizes but still can do much. And it's not sentient as a natural living being." Betty patted the roof of the car. "Don't tell the others, but I think it went deviant."

"What else? It's called Susan and needs me to respect its life choices?"

"Not quite, but don't give it ideas and come on. It's getting colder."

It was even warm inside the car. Betty set the seats horizontally and get some blankets and pillows from the trunk, so they could make themselves a weird equivalent of a bed.

When it was warm enough, she opened the roof window for a moment and laid down. She kept thanking luck that she exchanged her boots for the trainers, which were much easier to take off.

Gavin also took off his shoes and jacket and tossed them somewhere.

"Hell, like we went for a trip and not joined a revolutionary group."

"I don't think we would survive a trip anywhere."

Gavin snorted and laid down. Together they kept switching positions, finding the comfiest one, which wasn't that easy. Finally, they remained in one place and calmed down.

"I missed you," Gavin murmured barely audibly, "missed your voice, smell, that car and our chats."

"Don't say so, you're making me feel like... dunno, weird. I mean, I missed you too, but-"

"What's the problem this time?" Gavin placed his hand on Betty's cheek and waited patiently for her answer.

"You are making me feel unnatural. Just like this, okay? I'm not used to compliments."

"Hmm, okay. But I still think you're hot."

She tried to change the topic, pointing out that Gavin had nothing better to talk about and that he was so tired just a moment before.

"I'm a strong guy, won't pass out because I stayed up a moment longer."

"But I will."

She turned her head and quickly drifted to sleep. What would poor Gavin do in this situation? He simply waited as she crawled closer to him, embraced her and fell asleep.

When he woke up later, he felt soft lips on his owns. The feeling made him forget for a moment the dull pain of his back after sleeping in such a terrible place.

He realised quickly that Betty didn't mean to wake him. She sharply backed off as soon as she spotted that Gavin was conscious.

"What hour is it?"

"I think it's a quarter past two. Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt you," she whispered, looking away.

Gavin snorted. "Ever read something named Sleeping Beauty?" He got no answer. "Anyway, what were you doing if not waking your beloved one, huh?"

"Being curious as hell." She giggled and came closer. "Why is it so cold outside?"

"Because it's a damn November?"

"But it shouldn't be so cold for me, okay? My typical temperature is 59°F and..."

"And?"

She made a face like she did a momentous discovery. "You are the hottie that makes the difference!"

He laughed and pointed out how she called him. Betty just admitted that she's returning the favour.

"We should sleep some more, don't know how long the demonstration will take."

"Nah." Gavin waved. "Let's play something. Like 40 questions."

"Will you have enough stuff to ask about for so many, Gavin?"

He stole her a pillow, put it under his head and smirked. "Yes, and that was your first question. It's my turn."

"Then ask, smartass."

"I was wondering what is your Time Lordy title. Like The Doctor, The Master..."

Betty yawned. "I was hoping for something bigger. It's The Inspector. Hmmm... Where did you look for me first when I left?"

They exchanged several questions like this. Gavin told his alien crush about his poor attempts of looking for her, how he had got to know nearly everything about the case of a deviant called Daniel and the family that had owned him. Betty spoke about a few places where she had broken a few laws and had freed illegally imprisoned people.

After some time, their conversation moved to their parents. It turned out that both of their dads were soldiers and commanders.

While Betty was quite okay with talking about it, Gavin was struggling with some of the questions.

"A few scrapes are still too fresh, huh? You see, my father, The Mayor was on the duty most of the time I was learning. My imagination made up a few facts when he was gone and when you probably felt that for real, I was kinda... fake."

"Don't say it like this. Even imaginary dads can be terrible."

Betty let him embrace her. "My friend's dad was terrible. And he was under my dad's commandment, so I wondered how would my dad behave."

Gavin listened carefully. It all sounded so... natural. He actually forgot for a moment that the people she talked about weren't on Earth. Weren't humans.

Betty didn't force Gavin to talk more. She just hugged him and waited for that few words that meant so much.

"One day, it all stopped. Like totally. Dad never laid a finger on me again and I don't have a clue what happened. It didn't... stop my fears."

Betty could only wonder what had Gavin's father done, didn't dare to ask further. She hugged him, placed his head on her chest and lulled him like a child.

They quickly forgot about the game. Betty a few times reminded of something she did with her friend, Lyrist when they were kids. She missed the moment when her double heartbeats made Gavin fell asleep again, but she didn't say a word. In her opinion, he deserved some rest.

The world was so big, the time was passing fast, fragile relations and short lives of people were showing up and backing off from Betty's vision and yet she was in that specific time, in that place.

With Gavin. She thought how he had been annoying when they had met for the first time. Would she expect herself, more than four hundreds old girl, to have an infantile crush on such a man?

There was no answer to this question.

Betty closed her eyes and waited for the dawn.

The morning was full of swear words and yawns. Betty found a pack of jellies. They shared it, put their coats back on and left the car.

It wasn't like the deviants were heading to their next demonstration so early. There were several things to be done. Mostly repairing. Physical and emotional, to be precise. The androids knew that the raid was coming, but it still made most of them feel anxious about their future. More than ever.

Markus sat down with his trustful companions and once again discussed the plans of the oncoming demonstration. Despite many things they couldn't be sure about, they needed to be sure in as many issues as possible.

Betty wasn't the listening type, so instead of sitting with them, she walked around and talked to the androids she freed. Gavin didn't wander off, he seemed quite interested in her relations with the said deviants.

They were different, from separate places, having unrelated problems. Betty wasn't so touchy with them as she was with Gavin. The detective was internally somehow pleased with it.

```

The noise of their steps was so stable and monochrome. Hank couldn't say that it didn't sound artificial. He hugged himself and swore under his breath. The night embraced him with a sharp cold breeze. The man looked up for a moment, the sight of stars soothed him a bit. After a few minutes, he heard some steps that weren't synchronized with the others.

"You should head home and rest, Lieutenant. Staying here will affect your health." This time, Connor's voice was softer and more worried.

This must be one of the deviancy's side effects, Hank thought and sighed.

"I won't let you go there alone, Connor. And don't tell me that you have hundreds of deviants with yourself. You are nearly as lost as they are."

The android breathed and tilted his head. The faint LED light changed to yellow. "That's too dangerous, Lieutenant. Even as deviant, I'm not feeling that I'm as important as you. I need you to go home, Lieutenant. I demand you to be safe."

"I was home and your shitty twin came for me. I don't think you can call my house 'a safer place' anymore."

"Lieutenant-"

"And I have experience of working with a crowd. Maybe not so big, but still. I can help you."

Connor waited for a moment, corrected his tie and nodded. The light was calm blue again.

"I find problems with changing your mind, Lieutenant. Let's move, since it'll be healthier for you."

"Shut up."

So they went there. It was a proper walk. Hank guessed it was at least four miles, which "for someone his age and health condition", as Connor would have put it, was quite much. Especially so late and in so low temperature. He never said a word, though. He wouldn't ever admit it, because the RK800 would simply send him home, like anyone with some common sense, to be honest.

It seemed weird for Hank to see so many androids. He couldn't stop the worry in his head which wasn't even about the revolution stuff, but more about the view of so many people dressed too lightly.

He had some time to look at Connor. The goofy droid looked more serious but yet he gave Hank the impression that he loosened much. Something in the way he walked, in his gestures, in the facial expression. The determination in his eyes was so obvious that Hank could feel it slapping him in the face.

And what he did? He just smiled, knowing that someone on his side is not a machine anymore.

Hank thought that he was kinda too old for this shit but never say a word. He felt happy and somehow complete. Like it was the end of a computer game's quest. Maybe it was?

He still couldn't believe how many androids were following them for those few miles. It all sounded surreal.

"Lieutenant, are you alright?"

Hank snorted. "I don't know if I'll be a Lieutenant after this all will end. You know, my fight with Perkins and stuff."

"Got it. I'm sorry, then."

"Don't be. Just call me Hank next time, alright?"

"Yes, alright. Hank." Connor smiled and looked like someone gave him a pair of wings and let fly from all of his problems.

```  
The armoured man appeared at the side of the president. She raised her head.

"Something's happening in Detroit, Madam President."

The journalists, sitting in the helicopters up in the sky were filming the whole event. On Woodward Avenue, deviants started marching down the road toward Hart Plaza. No words were audible, probably because of helicopters.

The people up there didn't notice Betty and Gavin, walking in the main crowd. Their hands were close, brushing each other.

"Here we are... The moment of truth," Markus spoke aloud.

Hundreds of deviants stopped at the announcement of the armed man. They stood still, people behind barricades kept taking photos.

"We don't want a confrontation!"

This time, Gavin grabbed Betty's hand, somehow his instincts kicked.

"We are protesting peacefully!"

The humans didn't listen, a man told the androids to surrender. The drivers drove and blocked the way back.

"There's no turning back now," Markus reminded firmly.

Betty barely stopped the urge to cover Gavin.

"We ask that you release all the androids detained in camps and cease all the aggression against us. We are peaceful." No one interrupted, so Markus continued, "We will not resort to violence."

Betty looked away at the sound of flashes. She tried to stay still.

"But we are not leaving until our people are free."

And they walked, ignoring the humans who were shooting at them. Gavin hoped they wouldn't get shot. He wanted to say something, but he felt a force keeping him silent.

They kneeled before their attackers, waiting for any response.

"Are you gonna open fire on unarmed protestors?"

And then, it all suddenly stopped.

The people above couldn't stop talking about what was happening down there. Betty looked at Markus.

"What do we do now?" Surprisingly, she wasn't the one with the question. It was North.

"We hold out, as long as we can."

It could sound risky and ridiculous, but yet, with the voice of Markus, it sounded like the best thing to do.

After some time, they made a ring of vehicles, boxes and many other things, connected together and giving the deviants a place to protest in.

Some of them sat on the side and talked to each other. Gavin and Betty were leaning on the broken bus. They shared headphones and wanted to listen to some music. The deviants ignored that.

"It's... wild. I still can't believe where am I. It's nearly as bizarre as meeting you."

"So I'm still better, huh?" Betty joked and took out her phone.

"The best." Gavin yawned. "What do you have here?"

Some of the androids were gawking up, on the helicopters.

"How about this?" Soft instrumental soothed them.

Gavin immediately recognized the song.

"Don't tell me you played Life is Strange. Damn, this is old. But I guess it fits. Totally. This is something just like in this game. Shitty obstacles."

When Markus told everyone to finish the barricade, Gavin and Betty voluntarily got to work with the others. Pushing cars, moving pieces in one place.

Betty also walked to every android she brought with herself. They needed help as much as the rest. Gavin followed Markus this time and listened to his conversation with Josh.

He felt useless for a moment. Markus talked to deviants just as Betty did, then placed a flag in a visible place. Gavin crouched next to dead deviants for a moment and closed their eyelids. He guessed it's the only thing he could do.

When the android sitting on the other side looked at Gavin weirdly, he just spoke "I wish it'll end for real. I hate seeing good people die."

He sat there on some box and listened to North.

"This won't hold them for long, but I guess it's better than nothing."

He tried to be deaf when Markus said that he lost contact with the other groups. It was so hard to believe the humans would cause problems with the network.

Betty came back, sat next to him and grabbed his hand, not saying a word.

The holographic sign above them showed simply: LET OUR PEOPLE GO. And then, the man from FBI came closer and told Markus that he wanted to talk.

Gavin didn't like that guy and simply pointed that out. Markus was listening neither to him nor North and accepted the offer to come. Betty stood up and patted his shoulder.

"Good luck."

When she came back to Gavin, she took the headphones and gave one to Reed. Of course, thought the detective, what else would Betty do?

"In a few minutes, the troops will be ordered to charge. None of you will survive..."

Gavin really needed much strength to keep still.

"It all will be over. But you can avoid that, Markus."

"What do you mean?" The android's voice didn't sound like he was interested, yet it didn't sound cold.

"Surrender. Surrender and I give you my word your life will be spared."

Gavin didn't want to hear the rest, but Betty told him to stop behaving like a whiny child.

"What happened to the other androids demonstrating in the camps?"

Gavin wanted to punch the guy in the guts when he exclaimed that the others didn't have help from journalists.

"You're the last remaining deviants."

Silence and the sound of wind.

"You're asking me to betray my people?"

"I'm offering a chance to save them."

Perkins said a few more things, but these didn't matter.

"I'm not afraid to die. If I have to give my life for what I believe in, then I won't have lived in vain."

They both glanced quickly at North as Perkins started to talk about her.

"I'd rather die here than betray my people."

Perkins backed off, not saying a single word more.

Markus went quickly on the box, told Gavin and Betty to stood up and started a speech.

"The humans are about to launch an attack. We will show them that we are not afraid. If we must die today, then we will die free."

The loud explosion made most of the deviants fell on the ground.

People all around the globe were sitting before their TV sets and watching what is happening there.

Betty woke up just as quick as Markus. She dragged Gavin and the RK200 pushed the deviants away a moment before another explosion started.

Running and jumping and helping the others. Gavin couldn't see that Betty was crying. That didn't stop her. The bullet went next to her, barely touching her ear. Her vision was blurred. Markus had to show her where to go.

In a moment, there was just barely twenty of them standing next to the bus. Betty was leaning on the vehicle and holding Gavin up. He coughed.

And when all the soldiers stopped for a moment, Markus started to sing. And North and the rest of them with Betty. Gavin breathed and joined the song, despite his breaking voice.

Their voices fought their way to reach the ears of journalists, feds and soldiers. The viewers watching the news sometimes cried, hearing this song. Those helpless people were just trying the last time to fight for freedom.

Betty shivered as her tears froze on her cheeks, but didn't stop singing.

Markus while singing the last line for the last time, leaned in North's direction and kissed her. Their connected palms were shining brightly, no one could miss that.

And suddenly, someone far, far away raised a hand and ordered the soldiers to stand down. The deviants didn't hear that, neither Betty and Gavin did.

They didn't hear as Madam President spoke to the nation and announcing 'the unprecedented situation' and that it's time to 'consider the possibility' that androids are alive.

Instead, they saw all the androids brought there by Connor and Hank. That was the thing that made people panic.

"You did it, Markus," Connor said simply.

Hank had to add something before going on the side.

"Y'all did that. And look at you, you all won today. They won't ignore you from now."

Markus looked a bit confused, so Hank just walked away, just as Connor.

When Lieutenant and his loyal poodle were standing on the side, they heard a whistle. The noise led them to the closest bench, where they met...

"Da hell? Reed? Betty? What the hell are you doing here?"

Connor chose to let them speak, so he waited with his own questions.

"Yeah, I would ask you the same, old prick. Never expected you to get so close with that," Gavin got interrupted by Betty's soft kick in the still sore stomach, "with this guy, huh."

Hank sat down on the bench and sighed, "Neither do I, you stupid kids. Would talk more, but I need a drink."

Betty started to wander through pockets of her trench coat and suddenly, she took three bottles of beer from there.

"That's a damn trick. How did you do that?"

"Woman's secrets."

Connor eventually sat on the very edge of the bench and listened to them carefully. He fought with thoughts that they shouldn't drink when it was so cold, but he decided that they deserved that.

Some journalist, who risked and stayed 'just a little while longer', was coming down the road. He saw them and realised that they were among deviants and were humans all the time. He had to take a photo, which looked nearly the same as the one from their old cases.

This time, Gavin got printed, framed and placed on his desk in the precinct.

Surprisingly, Connor accepted Betty’s true identity. He explained that his programme detected so many clues leading him to the truth that he can’t deny that she is extraterrestrial.

Of course, they didn’t reveal the truth to everyone. Betty made some alien magic and came back to the precinct like nothing. The only person that was suspicious and a bit mad was Tina, but she was pissed that Betty broke Reed’s heart.

And yet, since the first day after the revolution, Gavin was high on endorphins, smiling like a fool and holding Betty’s hand and screaming to the world and void how happy he was. And so did Betty, maybe a bit quieter, but still.

Connor stayed in DPD and started living with Hank. Sometimes he and Betty went on long walks with Sumo, talking about stars and codes.

The revolution was merely the beginning of long, exhausting and challenging fight Jericho and Markus fought for androids’ equality. 

Nevertheless, someone out there always was particularly careful about their good. The Mayor knocked lightly the blinking screen and smiled, shaking his head a bit. His little storm won the fight for good people and all he wanted was her to stay happy and the peace to remain. Just like it should be.

_♫All the saints are partying up in heaven_   
_Golden dust is falling_   
_And I wander around without you_   
_And I am this close to hell♫_

**Author's Note:**

> I want to thank every lil human who helped me when I troubled myself with ending this. Betty is my OC that waited for her showing longer than dbh fandom exist! 
> 
> I also wanna invite anyone who would like to talk with me or some greater artists to the discord server, where this and many other works were made.   
> https://discord.gg/YA4EYAF


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